Sources told Baseball Essential’s Robert Murray on Friday that the San Diego Padres have tried to trade outfielder Matt Kemp.
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Kemp on the Block
Friday, Feb. 12
In the next four years, he is still owed $86 million.
One source suggested to Murray that the Padres tried to deal Kemp to the Oakland Athletics, but the A’s were “not yet willing to pull the trigger.”
Kemp batted .265 last season with 23 home runs and 100 RBI. It was the first time since he led the National League in 2011 with 126 RBI that he hit the 100 RBI plateau. He also recorded the first cycle in franchise history against the Colorado Rockies.
However, his .265 average was his worst since his rookie season of 2006 when he played in just 52 games.
More importantly, he’s shown over the past two seasons that he can stay healthy, as he’s played in over 150 games in each of those years. From 2012-13, he missed a total of 145 games due to injury.
Kemp’s arrival, along with Justin and Melvin Upton and reliever Craig Kimbrel, didn’t do much to change the Padres’ fortunes in the National League West. For the ninth straight year, the Padres missed the playoffs.
Because he managed to produce, the Padres might be thinking of selling Kemp while his value remains high before the possibility of injuries or struggles decreases his worth.
After losing Justin Upton to the Detroit Tigers, the Padres’ lineup doesn’t pack much of a punch in a strong NL West that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and a newly loaded Arizona Diamondbacks team that added Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to their pitching rotation.
Dealing Kemp could bring in some young pieces in an attempt to revamp the team and build toward the future.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com
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